Abstract
	Ni60Nb20Zr20 has been reported by M. H. Enayati, P. Schumacher and B. Cantor in Materials Sci Eng A 375-377 (2004) 812, as easy glass formers by melt spinning and ball milling. The same composition is investigated in the present paper. Ni based amorphous powders were prepared by mechanical alloying using high energy ball mill. The elemental powders were initially blended to desired composition and then subjected to milling for 40 hours until amorphization was completed. The consolidation of amorphous powders was performed by a vacuum hot pressing in specially constructed chamber. To optimize consolidation processing of the amorphous powder, the consolidation temperature was changed. The powders were mixed with nanocrystalline ball milled silver which was supposed to have higher plasticity and lower porosity than sintered pure amorphous powders. In the present paper changes of particle’s size during milling were determined using optical microscopy. Microstructure of samples was observed using transmission and scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction patterns. Mechanical properties were studied using microhardness test. Following results, X-ray diffraction pattern and transmission electron microscopy are suitable techniques to investigate progress of amorphous state. Following optical microscopy, particles of powders are fractured and also they are welded during milling progress. Microhardness measurements of powders exhibit their great increase after 5 hours of milling. Porosity observation show high degree of porosity during processing temperatures.